JAKARTA (21 March 2023) - At response to reports of suspected corruption at Rice Social Assistance (BSB), which are currently making their way into court, Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini gave a statement. The Minister expressed her incomprehension considering that the incident took place during a period when she had not yet served at the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA).
In line with the increasing number of reports regarding this issue, the Minister has dug up internal information from MoSA. However, officials related to this incident have changed positions a lot.
"No one can answer because the officials have been replaced. I don't know exactly what happened. But I asked the Secretary General to provide a chronology," said the Minister in a press conference at the MoSA office after receiving assistance from PT. Daikin and the Yayasan Benih Baik for underprivileged communities.
According to the chronology that the Minister obtained, the BSB program ran until 30 September 2020. "I took office on 23 December 2020. Thus, I was inaugurated three months later. That is how it happened. I can't comment since I don't know," she said.
The Minister admitted that the internal inspection was conducted by the MoSA inspector general around the beginning of September 2020. "Therefore, I cannot say which is wrong and which is right. Because the inspection did not go through me. Person by person was examined," she said.
The Minister emphasized that she would focus on future works. Namely following up on reports from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) regarding audit results in the 2004-2022 period. "I have to continue evaluating. That was the task that the BPK assigned to me. So, I have to finish it," she said.
The Minister admitted that she was grateful for the social assistance provided in the form of money during her tenure. Money is also used to give social protection assistance to communities affected by the Implementation of Public Activity Restrictions (PPKM). Such as Direct Cash Assistance for the transfer of Fuel Oil Subsidies, cooking oil and eggs, provided in the form of money.
"I am also pleased that assistance in the form of cash does not need goods procurement. According to the President's directive, it takes the form of money. Yes, that's it, and I'm also happier," she stated.
So far, law enforcement has issued no summons against her. "I don't know. Maybe the KPK knows that I have nothing to do with this issue," she said.
During this occasion, the Minister also discussed the prospect of MoSA supporting kidney failure patients. The Minister stated that she did not have a budget for this purpose.
"You cannot do dialysis only once; you must do it several times. Where does the budget come from? If we have to manage such circumstances, we must seek assistance from Kitabisa and Benih Baik. We don't have enough money to keep going, therefore we've complained to the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture," she explained.
Regarding social food assistance, which is currently being discussed by the government, the Minister stated that MoSA does not have the authority. MoSA only provides data on food assistance recipients.
"We have now handed over the data to the next process, not to ourselves." So, don't ask us about social food assistance," she explained.
MoSA has submitted the data to the National Food Agency.